The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.

– Chinese Proverb

By Bhavani Prakash

What is this life if full of care, we have no time to plant a single tree?

And what better way to express our gratitude to Mother Nature, compensate for our heavy footprint, and restore the land for generations to come, than to plant a tree? He who plants a tree, as Lucy Larcom the 19th century poet said, plants hope. He plants a joy, he plants peace, he plants youth, and he plants love.

Today, 5th June 2012 is World Environment Day and we take this opportunity to pledge our support to Project Green Hands, an inspiring grassroots initiative of the not-for-profit organisation, Isha Foundation. Its ambitious mission is to restore the green cover in Tamil Nadu, India to 33% by planting 114 million trees.

The programme was lauched in 2004 on World Environment Day, and has enabled the planting till date of more than 14 million saplings in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, with the help of more than 1.5 million volunteers.

In 2010, Project Green Hands (PGH) won a national award in India, the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar award in recognition of its efforts to create environmental awareness and reverse ecological degradation. PGH also has a Guinness World Record of planting most number of saplings in three days: 8,52,587.

Listen to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Founder of Isha Foundation, share his thoughts about Project Green Hands and the urgent need to reforest the earth.

A single sapling costs only Indian Rupees 50 (less than 1 USD and just over 1 Singapore dollar). Every little counts by way of your contribution.

By donating just Indian Rupees 50 per sapling through giveisha.org/pgh Project Green Hands (PGH) will plant trees on your behalf in Tamil Nadu, India. The saplings will be provided to farmers for planting in their farmlands. PGH tracks the exact location of their trees and the details of the farmer who will plant and take care of it.

Project Green Hands hopes to plant 300,000 trees for World Environment Day 2012. The World Environment Day campaign will run for June and part of July 2012. PGH continues beyond that period to achieve its larger objective of planting 6 million saplings in 2012.

Your help to spread the word, and contribution, however small, really matters in achieving these goals to reforest Tamil Nadu.

FAQs (as provided by Project Green Hands of Isha Foundation)

1. What is Give Isha?

GIVE ISHA is an online fundraising portal through which people can support for Isha Foundation’s social initiatives in Education – Isha Vidya, Health – Action for Rural Rejuvenation and Environment – Project GreenHands.

PGH is providing trees to farmers for planting in their farmlands. PGH has been working with farmers in Pudukottai, Erode, Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu.

3. How can trees be tracked?

While taking saplings from PGH, the farmer has to register his name, contact details and location. This is stored in the PGH database. After the plantation is done, a survey will be carried out by PGH to confirm whether the saplings have been planted. So when an individual donates for a tree, he will be assigned a tree from the PGH database.

4. Will we get anything if we donate?

Once you make a donation, you will get an email with tree certificate indicating the total number of trees planted by you.

5. How can we donate?

You can donate online: log on to giveisha.org/pgh and offline: or send an Indian Rupee DD/ Cheque drawn in the favour of “ Isha Outreach” to Project GreenHands , Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri Foothills, Semmedu post, Coimbatore – 641114.

6. How much is the minimum donation?

One Sapling: Indian Rupees 50/- (about 1 Dollar)

7. After I donate, what is the next step? How do I know what is happening and when the sapling planted?

Once you make a donation, you will get an email with tree certificate indicating the total number of trees planted by you. A tree tracking code will be specified on the certificate. Using this code you can track your tree starting Jan 1st 2013, on projectgreenhands.org/track

8. Why this time gap – why can’t I track the tree immediately?

The planting season begins in the month of September and trees can be planted till December. After the plantation is done, a survey will be carried out by PGH to confirm where the saplings have been planted. After which each donor will be assigned a tree from PGH’s database.

9. If I donate at separate occasions, will I get different certificates? Can I have it in the name of someone other than me?

Yes, you will get a different tree certificate each time you make a donation. If you want the certificate in someone else’s name, please fill in their particulars in the Donor details.

10. Are there any centers/stalls where something is set up for this campaign? If so, where?

No, the donation can be done only Online or a DD/ Cheque needs to be sent to PGH directly.

11. As someone who has donated and is interested in this campaign, how can I help? What can I do?

Many people may get inspired just by seeing your enthusiasm for the project. Spreading the word is the most important help you can do to us. You can take the message to all your friends and relatives by send them emails and videos, sharing on facebook, twitter and other social media.

Create your own campaign page on the Give Isha site and get all your colleagues and friends to join you.

]]>http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2012/06/05/world-environment-day-2012-support-project-green-hands/feed/0Save Bukit Brownhttp://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2012/03/10/save-bukit-brown/
http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2012/03/10/save-bukit-brown/#commentsSat, 10 Mar 2012 10:21:52 +0000http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/?p=10027Keeping these sites the way they are is about who we are and want to be as Singaporeans, about what we value and how we connect to our nation.

Bukit Brown is more than a cemetery. It is symbolic of so many things at so many levels. The fact that it is one of the last few remaining patches of wilderness in an island state of barely 710 sq km in area, should multiply its worth, especially with the documented biodiversity value, but economic decisions seem to override this, to make way for a 8-lane highway across it.

To many, Bukit Brown is a memory of their ancestry – it lays to rest 100,000 forefathers, many of whom helped shaped the nation. For a young country like Singapore, visible reminders of history are critical for current and future generations to connect with their past, their culture and their collective memories. As James Burke said, ” If you don’t know where you come from, you don’t know where you are.”

This article has two parts. An introduction is made by Cuifen, a Singaporean who shares her thoughts and feelings about Bukit Brown as her awareness of its beauty and importance grew since she first saw it. The second part by Erika of SOS Bukit Brown gives an overview of the factual arguments in support of retaining Bukit Brown, and petitions that you can sign in its favour.

What Bukit Brown means to me

By Cuifen

Nature at Bukit Brown

My first visit to Bukit Brown was in May of last year. Bukit Brown is a cemetery, and it took me quite a long time to overcome my inertia to check out the place. I finally did, though I didn’t know what to expect. I tagged along with Nature Society Singapore (NSS) on one of their guided walks. The place was totally abandoned. Then it struck me how amidst the buried dead, life was teeming. Majestic rain trees stretched out on all sides, filled with activity- ferns, orchids, climbers, insects, bats and birds. We were pleasantly surprised to see horses strolling by. I remember thinking, “This place is so beautiful, and so close to MacRitchie reservoir. Yet MacRitchie is full of people, and Bukit Brown is so quiet. This feels like our little secret garden.”

Just as my curiosity was getting piqued, it started pouring. I couldn’t explore much more that day. I wanted to come back…

And return I did, not once, not twice, but at least 10 times – sometimes with a guided tour, sometimes with a few friends exploring the place on our own.

Through various walks, I learnt that this is home to many uncommon plants and birds. Some are forest species or species that are only found in maturing secondary forest areas, indicating some colonisation of species from the neighbouring MacRitchie forest. Dr Ho, a bird expert of NSS shared with us that Bukit Brown, being a large patch of greenery just next to MacRitchie was a likely stepping stone for forest birds to fly to other forested areas of Southern Singapore, including the Southern Ridges and Labrador Nature Reserve.

Enjoying Bukit Brown

Each time I went to Bukit Brown, I’d observe how other ordinary people were enjoying the space. Some came to enjoy the scenery. At some places the view is simply breathtaking, with valleys in the foreground and the tall forest trees of MacRitchie in the background. Some came to jog or cycle with their family and friends. Yet others came to appreciate the area’s historical, cultural and spiritual aspects. And there are others still, like Raymond and Claire (of All things Bukit Brown blog) who dedicate their free time to locating and cleaning graves of pioneers unrelated to them, simply because of their passion for heritage.

I remember my shock on reading the news that the government had plans to build an 8-lane highway right across Bukit Brown, to ease the congestion off Lornie Road. The government had, out of goodwill, funded a documentation project headed by the Singapore Heritage Society, for graves that would be directly impacted by the construction.

Questions were racing through my mind. How could the government do this? Have they consulted the public? Have they considered all the environmental and societal issues before making the decision? Do we even need an additional highway? Surely there are alternatives. Can we allow something to disappear forever, when we are only just beginning to discover its value?

A sense of urgency overcame me. I had to do more. Time is short. But what can I do as an individual?

In January 2012, Raymond and Claire had organised an informal training session for guides, focusing on the historical and cultural aspects of Bukit Brown. It was the most valuable course I had ever taken. I had difficulty reading Chinese characters on the graves, but with Raymond’s patient assistance, I improved. For once, I understood that there’s a lot one can learn about a place’s history by reading the tombs, and connecting the dots together. It allowed me to get a clearer grasp of Singapore’s history in its early days. It helped me connect with it in a much more profound way than through my textbooks when I was at school. For example, I learnt there was a municipality next to Bukit Brown in the late 1910s. The town was filled with people of all backgrounds, and the municipality commissioners decided to buy over the area from the Hokkien clan, to ensure sufficient burial grounds for ordinary people.

Heritage Guide Training

I found the courage to initiate walks. I invited various friends to Bukit Brown with me as their guide. It has been an amazing experience for me as most of my friends are unsure of what to expect, except what they see in my photos on facebook. They go away happy that they have seen another side of Singapore that is not on the tourist map.

I come back today feeling a sense of fulfilment after a morning of exploration at Bukit Brown. Armed with a GPS, I had assisted Von Bing, a plant expert with Nature Society Singapore (NSS) to mark the locations of interesting and rare plant species. Along the way, we occasionally ventured off the roads, to check out the tombs of prominent early pioneers, like Mr Cheang Hong Lim and Mr. Chew Boon Lay, after whom many public places are named in Singapore today.

As Jane Goodall once said, “Only if we understand can we care. Only if we care will we help. Only if we help shall they be saved.”

Can we save Bukit Brown? I think we can. I hope we can. But it means that we must all show we care for it enough. And to care, we must first understand what it means to all of us, inside our hearts.

Why Bukit Brown should be saved

Located in the central part of Singapore off Lornie Road, Bukit Brown Cemetery is the largest Chinese cemetery outside of China. With a land area of 230 hectares, it is almost half the size of Sentosa Island (500 hectares).

Initially a burial ground for the Ong clan, the land was acquired by the government and officially opened in 1922 as a cemetery for the Chinese community. The oldest grave dates back to 1833 while the largest tomb covers an area equivalent to ten 3-bedroom Housing Development Board (HDB) flats.

Today, Bukit Brown has approximately 100,000 graves and is the last remaining cemetery of its kind in Singapore. Closed for burial since 1973, the area has become a verdant woodland much loved by hikers, runners, horse riders and bird watchers for its beauty and serenity.

Developments

In May 2011, the government announced that Bukit Brown would eventually make way for housing. In September 2011, they announced plans to build an 8-lane highway through the cemetery to alleviate the peak hour traffic congestion along nearby Lornie Road and the Pan Island Expressway (PIE). Meanwhile, anticipating future developments, a shell station for a future Bukit Brown train stop has been constructed at the edge of the cemetery.

Issues

Civil society groups that oppose the authorities’ plans stress that Bukit Brown’s destruction is unnecessary. They have raised several concerns, with the main ones as follows:

There are alternatives to easing the Lornie Road congestion without having to build a destructive new road. In its position paper on Bukit Brown, the Nature Society offers suggestions for dealing with the traffic problem, including the expansion of existing roads in the area. There are also concerns that the new road could inadvertently exacerbate traffic woes by creating additional bottlenecks along other sections of the PIE.

As part of its nation-building efforts, Singapore has to value and preserve important heritage sites, especially since many have already been lost. Bukit Brown, home to the remains of pioneer Singaporeans from all walks of life, can play a significant part in local efforts to evolve a unique Singapore Story.

In light of growing environmental awareness about climate change, Singapore should step up efforts to protect existing greenery. Singaporeans are already experiencing the effects of warmer temperatures and increased flooding, and the clearing of land in green areas like Bukit Brown could worsen these problems.

Conclusion

In addition to offering alternative solutions to the Lornie Road problem, civil society groups are recommending that Bukit Brown be gazetted as a heritage park for public enjoyment. And if Bukit Brown must be developed, then a comprehensive impact assessment ought to be conducted first. As the Nature Society puts it, “We should not be in a hurry to build the expressway – given that so much is at stake at Bukit Brown, which once destroyed cannot be resurrected.”

The UN has declared 2012 as The International Year of Co-operatives. A co-operative is a farm, business, or other organization that is owned and run jointly by its members, who share the profits or benefits. [Wikipedia].

According to the media release of International Co-operative Alliance: “ The International Year of Co-operatives, or IYC, celebrates a different way of doing business, one focused on human need not human greed, where the members (who own and govern the business) collectively enjoy the benefits instead of all profits going just to shareholders.

The objective behind this year’s focus on co-operatives is to increase public awareness about them and to encourage governments to set up policies, laws and regulations to promote their development and growth. Co-operatives play a significant role in the achievement of Millenium Development Goals. Here’s the official video: Video link here The 2012.coop website has been created by the ICA especially for the International Year and aims to be a hub for all IYC activity that is going on globally throughout 2012. You can follow The International Year of Cooperatives on Twitter and Facebook

International Cooperative Alliance is an independent, non-governmental association which unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide. Founded in 1895, ICA has 265 member organisations from 96countries active in all sectors of the economy. Together these co-operatives represent nearly one billion individuals worldwide.

Courtesy: International Co-operative Alliance

According to ICA statistics, co-operatives provide over 100 million jobs around the world, 20% more than multinational enterprises, according to ICA statistics. The following is further data from ICA:

Large segments of the population are members of co-operatives

In Asia 45.3 million people are members of a credit union. (Source: Association of Asian Confederation of Credit Unions, Annual Report 2007/2008)

In Indonesia, 27.5% families representing approximately 80 million individuals are members of co-operatives. (Source: Ministry of Co-operative & SMEs, Indonesia,2004)

In Japan, 1 out of every 3 families is a member of a co-operatives.

in Kenya 1 in 5 is a member of a co-operative or 5.9 million and and 20 million Kenyans directly or indirectly derive their livelihood from the Co-operative Movement.

In India, over 239 million people are members of a co-operative.

In Malaysia, 6.78 million people or 27% of the total population are members of co-operatives.(Source: Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development, Department of Co-operative Development, Malaysia, Statistics 31 December 2009)

In New Zealand, 40% of the adult population are members of co-operatives and mutuals. (Source: New Zealand Co-operative Association, 2007)

In Singapore, 50% of the population (1.6 million people) are members of a co-operative.

Co-operatives are significant economic actors in national economies

In Japan, the agricultural co-operatives report outputs of USD 90 billion with 91% of all Japanese farmers in membership. In 2007 consumer co-operatives reported a total turnover of USD 34.048 billion with 5.9% of the food market share. (Source: Co-op 2007 Facts & Figures, Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union)

In Kenya, co-operatives are responsible for 45% of the GDP and 31% of national savings and deposits. They have 70% of the coffee market, 76% dairy, 90% pyrethrum, and 95% of cotton.

In Korea, agricultural co-operatives have a membership of over 2 million farmers (90% of all farmers), and an output of USD 11 billion. The Korean fishery co-operatives also report a market share of 71%.

In Kuwait, the Kuwaiti Union of Consumer Co-operative Societies whose members are 6.5% of the Kuwaiti population handled nearly 70% of the national retail trade in 2007.

In Mauritius, in the agricultural sector, co-operators play an important role in the production of sugar, vegetable, fruit and flower, milk, meat and fish. Nearly 50% of sugar-cane planters are grouped in co-operatives and the share of co-operatives in the National Sugar Production is 10%. Co-operative Societies also account for more than 60% of national production in the food crop sector – 755 of onion consumption, 40% of potatoes and about 70% of fresh green vegetables are produced by co-operatives. In addition, the Co-operative bus sector represents some 30% of the national bus transport. (Source: Ministry of Industry, Small & Medium Enterprises, Commerce & Cooperatives )

In New Zealand, 22% of the gross domestic product (GDP) is generated by co-operative enterprise. Co-operatives are responsible for 95% of the dairy market and 95% of the export dairy market. They hold 70% of the meat market, 50% of the farm supply market, 70% of the fertiliser market, 75% of the wholesale pharmaceuticals, and 62% of the grocery market. (Source: New Zealand Co-operative Association, 2007)

]]>http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2012/01/21/un-international-year-of-co-operatives-2012/feed/0PepsiCo’s Water Claims in India: Some Hard Questions to Answerhttp://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/12/05/pepsicos-water-claims-in-india-some-hard-questions-to-answer/
http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/12/05/pepsicos-water-claims-in-india-some-hard-questions-to-answer/#commentsMon, 05 Dec 2011 10:49:57 +0000http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/?p=9319PepsiCo’s Aquafina bottled water marketed in India bears the label making the claim of having achieved ‘positive water balance.”

The label says:

Giving Back MORE WATER Than We Take
We call it “Positive Water Balance”.
To help save a precious resource that is fast depleting in India. Through rain-water harvesting, community water-sheds, and water conservation in agriculture, we at PepsiCo India saved 836 million litres* more water than we consumed in 2009.
To know more, log on to www.tomorrowbetterthantoday.com *As confirmed by an independent audit

Credit: India Resource Centre

Is there more to it than meets the eye? India Resource Centre, the NGO which has been campaigning against the likes of Coca-Cola Inc to achieve water justice for communities in India has issued a press release questioning the claims. Without credible answers to these, one would have to dismiss the label as nothing less than ‘bluewash.’

Pepsico’s Water Claims in India Misleading and Deceptive: Report by India Resource Centre

New Delhi, India. November 30, 2011 Pepsico is claiming that it has achieved “positive water balance” in India. Pepsico prominently states on its bottled water in India that Pepsico is “Giving Back MORE WATER Than We Take.”

Pepsico’s claims are erroneous, misleading and deceptive. The company does not give back more water than it takes.

A detailed report was released today by the India Resource Center and the Community Resource Centre examining Pepsico’s claims. Pepsico’s claims of “positive water balance” do not hold water when subject to scrutiny.

Pepsico’s claims fail for a number of reasons, some of which include:

1. Pepsico Has Severely Understated the Amount of Water it Uses in India. Pepsico’s “positive water balance” claim is based on the company’s assertion that it used just 5 billion liters of water in 2009. Our calculations, however, estimate that Pepsico is responsible for at least 50 times more water than it admits.

The audit assuring that Pepsico had achieved “positive water balance” stated that Pepsico used or counted as “debit” 5168 mml of water (or 5.168 billion liters) in India in 2009. And Pepsico claims to have saved or counted as “credit” 6004 mml of water (6.004 billion liters) in 2009, hence a positive balance of 836 million liters.

Pepsico only added up the water used in their beverage and food factories, and such a measure is completely inadequate for measuring a companies’ water impact or footprint.

It takes 21.82 billion liters of water to produce 75,000 tons of potatoes that Pepsico used in India. And yet, Pepsico reports using only 5.168 billion liters of water in India, about 4 times less.

From our research, we can estimate that Pepsico uses at least 90,000 tonnes of sugar annually.

It takes about 2,374 liters of water to make 1 kilogram of refined sugar in India, according to the Water Footprint Network6, the initiative that Pepsico claims to be a “sponsoring partner” of.

As a result, Pepsico is responsible for 214 billion liters of water used in production of sugar alone used in its products. And yet, Pepsico reports using only 5.168 billion liters of water in India, about 40 times less. (From India Resource Centre’s detailed report)

2. Pepsico’s Water Balance Accounting is Illogical and Flawed. In its accounting for “positive water balance,” Pepsico has declined to take responsibility for the water used in the supply chain of its products, such as potatoes grown through contract farming for Pepsico alone, or the sugar used in its products. At the same time, Pepsico liberally takes responsibility for saving water outside the supply chain, and in agriculture in particular. Close to 80% of the “positive water” that Pepsico claims to have saved do not come from water reductions in their supply chain or operations. Instead, Pepsico is paying others to save water, and using that to claim that Pepsico has saved water.

4.7 billion liters of water that Pepsico says it “saved”, or 78% of the total water it claims as “credit” in the audit, comes from their promotion of Direct Seeding among farmers in paddy fields in India (as opposed to transplanting method). Pepsico has paid for the entire “agricultural intervention”, including the seeds, the seeding machine and consultancy.

Pepsico itself has NOT reduced its own water usage along its supply chain to claim these credits. Instead, Pepsico has paid for others to save water – and used that “saved” water to claim that Pepsico has saved water, and therefore Pepsico should be credited positively towards its water balance.

78% of Pepsico’s water savings come from such a disingenuous intervention and accounting.

Although Direct Seeding decreases water use in paddy farming by 16% when compared to transplanting, Direct Seeding also requires more herbicides and pesticides and for this, “PepsiCo recommends use of post-emergence herbicides manufactured by reputed companies like Bayer CropScience, Dupont India and Pesticide India.” Direct Seeding also requires more diesel, according to a study provided to us by Pepsico. (From India Resource Centre’s detailed report)

3. Water Issues are Local Issues – Pepsico Doesn’t Get It. Having a “positive” relationship with water entails water stewardship at the local, watershed level. To our surprise, only 15% of the water conservation projects conducted by Pepsico are in the same watershed where Pepsico operates. Of all the water that Pepsico says it saved in 2009, only 2% came from “in-plant water recharge and harvesting.”

Credit: Nadia Khastagir, India Resource Center

4. One in Four Pepsico Plants Operating in Water-Stressed Areas in India. A primary measure of a company’s water sustainability practices is to examine whether the company is operating in areas that are already water-stressed. Of the 34 operating Pepsico plants in 2009, 9 plants – over 25% – were located in areas that the government has classified as water stressed (semi-critical, over-exploited and critical) – hardly a picture of a “positive” water company.

In addition, there were serious concerns raised about the amount of wastewater generated by Pepsico, 2.56 billion liters alone in 2009. Pepsico’s wastewater finds no mention in its audit and its accounting of “positive water balance.”

“Pepsico’s claims of positive water balance makes a mockery of the science and logic behind water stewardship. It also insults the Indian public by making claims that are erroneous, misleading and deceptive,” said Nandlal Master of the Community Resource Centre from Varanasi who has campaigned against Pepsico plants in India.

“Pepsico’s claims of positive water balance are nothing more than a public relations exercise to blunt the growing and real criticism of its water management practices in India and elsewhere,” said Amit Srivastava of the India Resource Center.

“These are business and reputational risk management maneuvers and their claim of “positive water balance” aims to give Pepsico the right to use “positive” or additional water, much needed as it plans aggressive expansion in water-challenged India. All this while not doing anything substantial to conserve water themselves, such as in their factories and supply chain, or limiting the needless growth of water guzzling soft drinks or the unhealthy junk food they peddle. We refuse to accept such logic and practice.”

Our bigger question is also whether bottled water is required at all, given the wasteful use of plastic, and the fossil fuels required in its distribution, apart from the use of a community’s water resource. In addition, given that processed beverages and foods are mostly a concoction of artificial chemicals, harmful sugars and salts (that are unhealthy for consumers and the environment), labels only serve to detract rather than answer the fundamental question of whether products such as these are indeed required for society’s wellbeing.

]]>http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/12/05/pepsicos-water-claims-in-india-some-hard-questions-to-answer/feed/1Madhu Verma on SoCh in Action: Social Change by Childrenhttp://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/10/20/madhu-verma-on-soch-social-change-by-children/
http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/10/20/madhu-verma-on-soch-social-change-by-children/#commentsThu, 20 Oct 2011 15:45:03 +0000http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/?p=8735Madhu Verma is the brains and spirit behind SoCh in Action, a Singapore based non-profit that organises a yearly event to showcase the best social change initiatives by children between the ages of 9 and 14. The event is just around the corner, with the ” Be the Change” Exposition to be held on Saturday, 12th November 2011, from 9:30 am to 1 pm at Level 4 of SCAPE, at 2 Orchard Link, Singapore.

We talk to Madhu to find out how it all started and about this year’s theme for the expo, “If Food Could Talk.”

EWTT: What made you leave a corporate career to work on social change?

MV: We all can make a difference in society no matter where we work. I always had the inclination to work for the social sector but didn’t know how I could use my knowledge and experience there. While finishing my Masters in marketing, I did my research in Strategic alliances between the two sectors. I discovered that social sector could use many marketing strategies that corporates use all the time to be effective and widen their scope. That’s when I started working for Oxfam in New Zealand and implementing my corporate sector experience.

EWTT: When and how did the idea of SoCh come about?

MV: It was a persistent thought for a long time. People in general are aware of issues in the society around them or in the world. I feel ‘doing good’ is a human ‘need’ like any other ‘need’ to entertain, to travel, to wear new clothes. But the reason we see fewer people satisfying this need is because the avenues provided are either not easily available or engaging or not popularised in the ways other good and services are done.

Soch, in Hindi means thought

A ‘thought’ can be a powerful tool to bring about positive change in the world. At SoCh in Action we provide avenues for such thoughts to translate into meaningful actions. ( SoCh in Action website)

SoCh is about providing interesting and engaging way to making positive social change and doing good. We have begun with children’s program because they are the most responsive audience. But we won’t stop there.

EWTT: Could you describe the first SoCh exposition last year?

MV: It was fabulous! Seeing the passion in the eyes of the children was pure bliss. We had 26 school projects by children 9-14 years of age from various schools. From helping the elderly, climate refugee petitions, anti-littering to providing fresh water for Haiti ; small or big, simple or complex, the problems and their solutions were chosen by children themselves.

There were 10 workshop/activities that gave children the opportunity to have an experiential and truly ‘hands-on’ experience. This was a fun way to sensitise children and grown ups to various social and environmental issues. Amongst the activities were walking without shoes, making non-toxic cleaning solutions, green science, using trash to make fun stuff, a live story telling session and so on. It attracted lots of children, parents and teachers and they all had a good time.

MV: Food shapes everyone’s lives in some way or the other. But we seldom stop to think about it beyond its procurement and stop to see how it affects our health. Children are rarely taught about how issues related to food affect us, our community, people growing the food and the environment.

Easy access to food in urban day living gives our children limited know-how about food, how it is provided by nature, where is one’s food coming from, what’s in it, what’s wholesome, what’s natural, how can the wasted food can be utilised, if food is scarce or abundant, various food related health issues and many more. There are so many environmental, social and cultural issues connected to food that we thought it would be good to make it our theme this year. Children will not only find these topics interesting but they will inspire them to think more deeply and meaningfully about what they put into their mouths.

EWTT: Tell us about the competition for this year’s theme.

MV: We wanted kids to think, “What if food could talk…what it would tell them about its journey?” So we have a small video that kids can watch where a chicken nugget is talking to our friend Leero. Kids can then imagine what their food tells them and send in their story, comments, or cartoons by 10th November 2011 to us at Contact[at]sochinaction.com . We will select 10 interesting entries at the event.

There will be a lot of fun activities: a mini grocery store, for kids to play with worms, learn about food wastage, food additives and smart food.

EWTT: How many schools do you expect to take part this year?

MV: Last year we had 14 schools, this year we have 30 schools so far taking part. You will be able to see more than 50 children’s project on various topic such as saying ‘no’ to shark fin soup, dealing with PSLE pressure, glaucoma and myopia awareness, vandalism in school, bringing, cheer to the elderly and food trays for the visually impaired, dealing with teen depression and so on. These are some of the issues that children have chosen to address.

We have received support from various organisations, so there is a growing recognition of the programs in Singapore and we are grateful to all our partners for that.

EWTT: What are your plans for SoCH’s future?

MV: We will continue to do our annual programs, Design for Change School Challenge and Be the Change Exposition and make it reach more children. Other programs that we are mulling over may take a few months to launch, on the lines of bringing the corporate and social sector closer.

]]>http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/10/20/madhu-verma-on-soch-social-change-by-children/feed/1The Earth Charterhttp://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/09/19/the-earth-charter/
http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/09/19/the-earth-charter/#commentsMon, 19 Sep 2011 11:02:48 +0000http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/?p=8060“Do not do unto the environment of others what you do not want done to your own environment.My hope is that this Charter will be a kind of Ten Commandments, a ‘Sermon on the Mount’, that provides a guide for human behavior toward the environment in the next century.”- Mikhail Gorbachev

We are proud to officially endorse the Earth Charter, (through the website Earth Charter in Action) though in spirit, we have done so since our inception.

Just as our response as individuals to situations and those around us are guided by our inner values and principles, there are some fundamental principles that should guide our civilisation.

The Earth Charter is an initiative to articulate the principles that apply to human beings on this planet – the relationship of people to the earth and of people to each other. It applies to the whole of humanity – as individuals , organisations and nations.

Though it began as an UN initiative, it was carried forward and completed by global civil society. It was finalised in 2000 and launched as a people’s charter by the Earth Charter Commission, an independent international entity which was co-chaired by Maurice Strong and Mikhail Gorbachev and said to have consulted more than 100,000 world citizens. It is now endorsed by over 4,500 organisations all over the world.

It has a Preamble which outlines where we are at this critical juncture of human history, 16 overarching principles or covenants to guide humanity and the Way Forward which summarises the charter and looks ahead.

Please read the Earth Charter in detail below. The Earth Charter is meant to be a grassroots global movement with individuals and organisations voluntarily committing to its ideals and principles. The idea is to bring about societal transformation through commitment to the covenant that will guide personal change.

Preamble

We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations.

Earth, Our Home

Humanity is part of a vast evolving universe. Earth, our home, is alive with a unique community of life. The forces of nature make existence a demanding and uncertain adventure, but Earth has provided the conditions essential to life’s evolution. The resilience of the community of life and the well-being of humanity depend upon preserving a healthy biosphere with all its ecological systems, a rich variety of plants and animals, fertile soils, pure waters, and clean air. The global environment with its finite resources is a common concern of all peoples. The protection of Earth’s vitality, diversity, and beauty is a sacred trust.

The Global Situation

The dominant patterns of production and consumption are causing environmental devastation, the depletion of resources, and a massive extinction of species. Communities are being undermined. The benefits of development are not shared equitably and the gap between rich and poor is widening. Injustice, poverty, ignorance, and violent conflict are widespread and the cause of great suffering. An unprecedented rise in human population has overburdened ecological and social systems. The foundations of global security are threatened. These trends are perilous—but not inevitable.

The Challenges Ahead

The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more. We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment. The emergence of a global civil society is creating new opportunities to build a democratic and humane world. Our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are interconnected, and together we can forge inclusive solutions.

Universal Responsibility

To realize these aspirations, we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole Earth community as well as our local communities. We are at once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding the human place in nature.

We urgently need a shared vision of basic values to provide an ethical foundation for the emerging world community. Therefore, together in hope we affirm the following interdependent principles for a sustainable way of life as a common standard by which the conduct of all individuals, organizations, businesses, governments, and transnational institutions is to be guided and assessed.

Principles

I. RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE

1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.
a. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings.
b. Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity.

2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love.
a. Accept that with the right to own, manage, and use natural resources comes the duty to prevent environmental harm and to protect the rights of people.
b. Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good.

3. Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful.
a. Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms and provide everyone an opportunity to realize his or her full potential.
b. Promote social and economic justice, enabling all to achieve a secure and meaningful livelihood that is ecologically responsible.

4. Secure Earth’s bounty and beauty for present and future generations.
a. Recognize that the freedom of action of each generation is qualified by the needs of future generations.
b. Transmit to future generations values, traditions, and institutions that support the long-term flourishing of Earth’s human and ecological communities.

In order to fulfill these four broad commitments, it is necessary to:

II. ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY

5. Protect and restore the integrity of Earth’s ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life.

a. Adopt at all levels sustainable development plans and regulations that make environmental conservation and rehabilitation integral to all development initiatives.
b. Establish and safeguard viable nature and biosphere reserves, including wild lands and marine areas, to protect Earth’s life support systems, maintain biodiversity, and preserve our natural heritage.
c. Promote the recovery of endangered species and ecosystems.
d. Control and eradicate non-native or genetically modified organisms harmful to native species and the environment, and prevent introduction of such harmful organisms.
e. Manage the use of renewable resources such as water, soil, forest products, and marine life in ways that do not exceed rates of regeneration and that protect the health of ecosystems.
f. Manage the extraction and use of non-renewable resources such as minerals and fossil fuels in ways that minimize depletion and cause no serious environmental damage.

6. Prevent harm as the best method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply a precautionary approach.
a. Take action to avoid the possibility of serious or irreversible environmental harm even when scientific knowledge is incomplete or inconclusive.
b. Place the burden of proof on those who argue that a proposed activity will not cause significant harm, and make the responsible parties liable for environmental harm.
c. Ensure that decision making addresses the cumulative, long-term, indirect, long distance, and global consequences of human activities.
d. Prevent pollution of any part of the environment and allow no build-up of radioactive, toxic, or other hazardous substances.
e. Avoid military activities damaging to the environment.

7. Adopt patterns of production, consumption, and reproduction that safeguard Earth’s regenerative capacities, human rights, and community well-being.
a. Reduce, reuse, and recycle the materials used in production and consumption systems, and ensure that residual waste can be assimilated by ecological systems.
b. Act with restraint and efficiency when using energy, and rely increasingly on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
c. Promote the development, adoption, and equitable transfer of environmentally sound technologies.
d. Internalize the full environmental and social costs of goods and services in the selling price, and enable consumers to identify products that meet the highest social and environmental standards.
e. Ensure universal access to health care that fosters reproductive health and responsible reproduction.
f. Adopt lifestyles that emphasize the quality of life and material sufficiency in a finite world.

8. Advance the study of ecological sustainability and promote the open exchange and wide application of the knowledge acquired.
a. Support international scientific and technical cooperation on sustainability, with special attention to the needs of developing nations.
b. Recognize and preserve the traditional knowledge and spiritual wisdom in all cultures that contribute to environmental protection and human well-being.
c. Ensure that information of vital importance to human health and environmental protection, including genetic information, remains available in the public domain.

III. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE

9. Eradicate poverty as an ethical, social, and environmental imperative.
a. Guarantee the right to potable water, clean air, food security, uncontaminated soil, shelter, and safe sanitation, allocating the national and international resources required.
b. Empower every human being with the education and resources to secure a sustainable livelihood, and provide social security and safety nets for those who are unable to support themselves.
c. Recognize the ignored, protect the vulnerable, serve those who suffer, and enable them to develop their capacities and to pursue their aspirations.

10. Ensure that economic activities and institutions at all levels promote human development in an equitable and sustainable manner.
a. Promote the equitable distribution of wealth within nations and among nations.
b. Enhance the intellectual, financial, technical, and social resources of developing nations, and relieve them of onerous international debt.
c. Ensure that all trade supports sustainable resource use, environmental protection, and progressive labor standards.
d. Require multinational corporations and international financial organizations to act transparently in the public good, and hold them accountable for the consequences of their activities.

11. Affirm gender equality and equity as prerequisites to sustainable development and ensure universal access to education, health care, and economic opportunity.
a. Secure the human rights of women and girls and end all violence against them.
b. Promote the active participation of women in all aspects of economic, political, civil, social, and cultural life as full and equal partners, decision makers, leaders, and beneficiaries.
c. Strengthen families and ensure the safety and loving nurture of all family members.

12. Uphold the right of all, without discrimination, to a natural and social environment supportive of human dignity, bodily health, and spiritual well-being, with special attention to the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities.
a. Eliminate discrimination in all its forms, such as that based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, language, and national, ethnic or social origin.
b. Affirm the right of indigenous peoples to their spirituality, knowledge, lands and resources and to their related practice of sustainable livelihoods.
c. Honor and support the young people of our communities, enabling them to fulfill their essential role in creating sustainable societies.
d. Protect and restore outstanding places of cultural and spiritual significance.

IV. DEMOCRACY, NONVIOLENCE, AND PEACE

13. Strengthen democratic institutions at all levels, and provide transparency and accountability in governance, inclusive participation in decision making, and access to justice.
a. Uphold the right of everyone to receive clear and timely information on environmental matters and all development plans and activities which are likely to affect them or in which they have an interest.
b. Support local, regional and global civil society, and promote the meaningful participation of all interested individuals and organizations in decision making.
c. Protect the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, peaceful assembly, association, and dissent.
d. Institute effective and efficient access to administrative and independent judicial procedures, including remedies and redress for environmental harm and the threat of such harm.
e. Eliminate corruption in all public and private institutions.
f. Strengthen local communities, enabling them to care for their environments, and assign environmental responsibilities to the levels of government where they can be carried out most effectively.

14. Integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values, and skills needed for a sustainable way of life.
a. Provide all, especially children and youth, with educational opportunities that empower them to contribute actively to sustainable development.
b. Promote the contribution of the arts and humanities as well as the sciences in sustainability education.
c. Enhance the role of the mass media in raising awareness of ecological and social challenges.
d. Recognize the importance of moral and spiritual education for sustainable living.

15. Treat all living beings with respect and consideration.
a. Prevent cruelty to animals kept in human societies and protect them from suffering.
b. Protect wild animals from methods of hunting, trapping, and fishing that cause extreme, prolonged, or avoidable suffering.
c. Avoid or eliminate to the full extent possible the taking or destruction of non-targeted species.

16. Promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence, and peace.
a. Encourage and support mutual understanding, solidarity, and cooperation among all peoples and within and among nations.
b. Implement comprehensive strategies to prevent violent conflict and use collaborative problem solving to manage and resolve environmental conflicts and other disputes.
c. Demilitarize national security systems to the level of a non-provocative defense posture, and convert military resources to peaceful purposes, including ecological restoration.
d. Eliminate nuclear, biological, and toxic weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
e. Ensure that the use of orbital and outer space supports environmental protection and peace.
f. Recognize that peace is the wholeness created by right relationships with oneself, other persons, other cultures, other life, Earth, and the larger whole of which all are a part.

The Way Forward

As never before in history, common destiny beckons us to seek a new beginning. Such renewal is the promise of these Earth Charter principles. To fulfill this promise, we must commit ourselves to adopt and promote the values and objectives of the Charter.

This requires a change of mind and heart. It requires a new sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility. We must imaginatively develop and apply the vision of a sustainable way of life locally, nationally, regionally, and globally. Our cultural diversity is a precious heritage and different cultures will find their own distinctive ways to realize the vision. We must deepen and expand the global dialogue that generated the Earth Charter, for we have much to learn from the ongoing collaborative search for truth and wisdom.

Life often involves tensions between important values. This can mean difficult choices. However, we must find ways to harmonize diversity with unity, the exercise of freedom with the common good, short-term objectives with long-term goals. Every individual, family, organization, and community has a vital role to play. The arts, sciences, religions, educational institutions, media, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and governments are all called to offer creative leadership. The partnership of government, civil society, and business is essential for effective governance.

In order to build a sustainable global community, the nations of the world must renew their commitment to the United Nations, fulfill their obligations under existing international agreements, and support the implementation of Earth Charter principles with an international legally binding instrument on environment and development.

Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.

Thomas Friedman, one of the world’s most influential columnists with The New York Times, with a following of over 20 million readers, and best-selling author of “Hot, Flat and Crowded” was in town (Singapore) yesterday to give an interesting lecture on “Why We Need a Green Revolution.”

He was invited by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), one of Asia’s leading thinktanks, and introduced to the audience by the Dean of the School, Dr Kishore Mahbubani. Dr Mahbubani himself is a well known public figure in the region, and author of books such as “Can Asians Think” and “Beyond the Age of Innocence.” He commenced the night with a sober note, “We are facing the biggest challenge in human history. The Earth is in distress. We don’t know what to do, and how to do it.”

Friedman asserted that though Hot, Flat and Crowded prima facie talks of energy and the environment, it is essentially about America rediscovering its ‘groove’ as a global leader by addressing the major and pressing problems of the world.

Hot is the planet warming up with increasing human made greenhouse gas emissions in the thin atmosphere that blankets it. Flat is a globalised and interconnected world, where rising middle classes aspire for higher “America –like’” consumption standards. Crowded is because our population is going to balloon to 9 billion by 2050, with higher per capita consumption, and more pressure on the finite resources of the earth.

Here are some of the main points he brought out in his talk to an audience of about a thousand invited by the LKYSPP.

The environmental crisis and the financial crisis are flip sides of the same problem. 2007-2010 was when the markets and Mother Nature hit the wall, an early warning heart attack that we are growing unsustainably -financially and ecologically.

The world is seeing a never ending growth loop which is clearly unsustainable and has to be broken. Friedman explained it thus:

More and more factories built in China –> More and more stuff produced –> More and more coal used (with emissions) –>More and more dollars for China –>More and more Treasury Bills issued by the US –>More and more factories in China…and back again to the loop.

The fundamental problems in both financial markets and in Mother Nature are due to three fold reasons. We are

Underpricing Risk (such as credit risk in subprime mortgage or the risk of carbon molecules in fossil fuel emissions)

Privatising Gain ( Profits accrue to owners of capital who benefit from financial markets, or due to cheap oil and coal)

Socialising Losses ( If things blow up, the taxpayer bears the losses through bailouts, and our children and future generations pay the consequences of disruptive climate change)

There is a larger ‘values breakdown’ in society. We have moved from sustainable values that used to be the basis for relationships, communities, business and politics, to situational values of the baby boomer generation. Ploughing up hundreds of acres of biodiverse Amazon rainforest to plant soyabean, is an example of situational value which places financial gain over long term sustainable value – which would dictate that this is the wrong thing to do.This is dangerous, because both markets and Mother Nature are fiercesome, cruel and unemotional when it comes to excesses. According to Friedman, if we don’t find a more sustainable way we will be ‘less free than if the Soviet Union had won the cold war.’

Friedman sees five megatrends that impact the world tremendously:

- Supply and Demand of Energy and Natural Resources. Demand is increasing at a mind boggling rate, with the rise of new consumerist middle classes in China and India and other nations. In two cities he had visited – Doha in Qatar and Dalian in China, another ‘Manhattan’ had sprung up in a span of only three years. This kind of development has staggering implications for resource and energy use. Friedman calls this the problem as ‘Too Many Americans.’ If the whole world caught up with American consumption rates, it would mean an equivalent of 72 billion people on this planet.

- The impact on Petropolitics is the clear inverse relationship between the price of oil and the political freedom in the major oil exporting nations – which is graphed by the ‘Freedom Index’ By increasing our demand for fossil fuels, we are indirectly supporting petrodictatorships in these countries.

- Climate Change as an issue is so polluted by climate deniers, he prefers not to use the term Global Warming using ‘Global Wierding’ instead. This is because the result of increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is going to be increasingly extreme, frequent, and violent weather patterns.

In a tongue-in-cheek way, Friedman says he prefers to be like “Dick Cheney” during the Iraq war, who said “if there is 1% chance that nuclear weapons are found in Iraq, it would irreversible and catastrophic.”
Likewise he says, “If there is even 1% chance that what climate scientists say is true, it would be irreversible and catastrophic for the planet.”

- Energy Poverty is something 1.6 billion people on this planet face as they are not connected to electric grid. This is going to leave behind a vast part of the population behind, as they have inadequate access to water, education, and technology.

- Biodiversity Loss is happening at an unprecedented rate. We are facing the fastest rate of extinction since the age of the dinosaurs – about 1 new species every 20 minutes disappears, which is about 1000 times the background rate of extinction.

Friedman asserts that all these 5 problems can be solved by the “Green Revolution” by finding a way to produce “abundant, cheap, clean and reliable electrons” and the country which does that will get the most global respect. He wants that country to be America, as he thinks this is the only way that clean technology and energy will scale up with the speed required to solve the global crisis. It’s not going to be ‘easy’ – a revolution implies suffering and radical change. At the moment, the world is seeing is only incremental and small scale change – or to put it more cynically, “we’re all having a big green party.”

According to Friedman, “We’ll know when we are really having a Green Revolution and that is when the word “green’ disappears. There won’t be a ‘green’ building. You simply won’t be able to build something that doesn’t adhere to the highest energy and resource efficient standards. There won’t be a ‘green’ car, only a car which is built to highest mileage and environmental standards. “

Friedman lays more faith on engineers and entrepreneurs than on regulators or “192 countries trying to agree on reduction in emissions” as in the COP meetings, for change to happen. Price matters in the Green Revolution, and a durable, long term price system for carbon is critical. He also favours subsidy support to renewables especially in the intial take-off stages, as well as a carbon and gasoline tax to reduce the price advantage on fossil fuels.

For systemic change to happen that supports ‘an ecosystem of innovation’, one requires firm leadership and Friedman wishes America could be China for a day, just to be able to impose all the rules and regulations to support the green revolution, and let the system take over.

My thoughts on Friedman’s call for a green revolution:

- It looks increasingly like it may not be America’s call to take leadership on Climate Change. China for good or bad, does have the political advantange of firm leadership (or dictatorship) to make swift decisions on green technology. Friedman himself admitted during the Q & A that necessity is the “mother of innovation” and that China is moving faster toward clean technology, as it discovers the downsides of environmental pollution.

(According to BNEF, new global investment in clean energy reached $243 billion in 2010, up from $186.5 billion in 2009. Last year’s investment figures double those from 2006. The main factors in this growth were the massive Chinese market, the expansion of offshore wind, hot European solar markets and global R&D.

Investment in China was up 30% to $51.1bn in 2010, by far the largest figure for any country. In 2009 Asia and Oceania overtook the Americas, and in 2010 it narrowed the gap further on Europe, Middle East and Africa as the leading region of the world for clean energy investment. Facts from Renewable Energy World )

- My question to Friedman during the Q & A was that though removal of fossil fuel subsidies is one key step in giving the right price signals to the market, political leaders do get ‘wobbly knees’ when actually taking action on this front. I wanted to know if there are case studies of countries who have been successful with this. Look at India where the price of onions is enough to give politicians the jitters. (I also had at the back of my mind the reversal of Bolivian President Eva Morales’ decision to raise fuel prices over the new year. India too had deregulated petrol prices in June 2010 but not diesel prices because it was too sensitive an issue. )

Friedman didn’t answer my question directly, but he did give an interesting perspective about what fossil fuel subsidies really mean to an economy. If you don’t tax fuel in your country, you are simply handing that money over to the oil cartel, instead of using it for education, health and green tech within your own economy. Even though the per unit price of oil goes up, the total bill goes down leading to a more efficient system. Yes, it’s a difficult decision, but it has to be done, and all it may take is one gutsy polician to bring about that change.

- Friedman doesn’t really mention a role for civic society, in fact he dismisses all the small, green actions that individuals take, without a larger systemic, macroeconomic change happening. My take on this is yes, we absolutely need systemic change, but more often than not, it happens when millions of individuals start demanding that change, and no matter what level it is – at an individual level (as a consumer, employee or neighbour), at a community level, at a national or international level – it is at the end of the day, individuals and groups of ‘thoughtful citizens’ who will change the world.

We can’t hang around and wait much longer for that change to happen, as there is no “later” in Friedman’s sober conclusion. I share his cautious optimism in these words, “We have exactly enough time – starting now.”

About the writer:

Bhavani Prakash is the Founder of Eco WALK the Talk .com. She is passionate about the role of individuals and communities in bringing about the much needed change we need to see in the world. She was an economist in her previous avatar, and is now an environmental and social justice activist using social media as well as offline community participation in her advocacy of a greener, fairer and happier planet. She writes and conducts talks and workshops on sustainability and can be contacted at bhavani[at]ecowalkthetalk.com. Follow Eco WALK the Talk on Facebook,Twitter, Linked IN and YouTube

]]>http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/01/25/thomas-l-friedman-in-singapore-why-we-need-a-green-revolution/feed/1Calendar of World Environmental Events 2011 and UN International Year of Forestshttp://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/01/05/calendar-of-world-environmental-events-2011-and-un-international-year-of-forests/
http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/01/05/calendar-of-world-environmental-events-2011-and-un-international-year-of-forests/#commentsWed, 05 Jan 2011 06:51:22 +0000http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/?p=5343by Bhavani Prakash

This is our first blogpost for 2011. We wish our readers a very happy and green New Year! We would also like to thank our team of Guest Writers for their wonderful contributions last year and look forward to new perspectives in the coming months.

Here is a list of key environmental and human rights events for 2011. The dates are found on several sites so we thought of compiling and sharing them with you. Some are well known, and some came as a surprise to us as well. We do believe, no matter who or where you are, everyday is a day of celebration. Every day is a day for our dear planet Earth – for us to respect, conserve and manage her precious resources in a sustainable way. Everyday is a day for peace and compassion.

If we’ve missed out any important dates below, do let us know and we’ll be happy to add them in.

Meat Free Days are a campaign to encourage a meat free diet one day a week, usually Mondays or Wednesdays. The purpose is to reduce human induced climate change, improve animal welfare and human health. Singapore’s green groups have launched a Veggie Thursday campaign.

The Year 2011 has been declared as the UN INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FORESTS to raise awareness about the precarious state of the world’s forests, and ways to preserve and manage them sustainably. The UN estimates that 350 sq kms of forests are lost every day. Pressures come from clearing for agricultural uses, such as palm oil, soybean, for livestock, timber and urban settlement. Here is the accompanying video:

FOREST FACTS

Forests cover 30 percent of the planet’s total land area. The total forested area in 2005 was just under 4 billion hectares, at least one third less than before the dawn of agriculture, some 10,000 years ago.

The ten most forest-rich countries, which account for two-thirds of the total forested area, are the Russian Federation, Brazil, Canada, the United States, China, Australia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Peru and India.

Six million hectares of primary forest are lost every year due to deforestation and modification through selective logging and other human interventions. More than one-third of all forests are primary forests, defined as forests where there are no clearly visible indications of human activity and where ecological processes are not significantly disturbed.

Only 20 per cent of the world’s forests remain in large intact areas. These forests consist of tropical rain forests, mangrove, coastal and swamp forests. Monsoon and deciduous forests flourish in the drier and more mountainous regions.

Trees quite literally form the foundations of many natural systems. They help to conserve soil and water, control avalanches, prevent desertification, protect coastal areas and stabilize sand dunes.

Forests are the most important repositories of terrestrial biological biodiversity, housing up to 90 per cent of known terrestrial species.

Forest animals have a vital role in forest ecology such as pollination, seed dispersal and germination.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide and are vital carbon sinks.

It is estimated that the world’s forests store 283 Gigatonnes of carbon in their biomass alone, and that carbonstored in forest biomass, deadwood, litter and soil together is roughly 50 per cent more than the carbon in the atmosphere.

Carbon in forest biomass decreased in Africa, Asia and South America in the period 1990–2005. For the world as a whole, carbon stocks in forest biomass decreased annually by 1.1 Gigatonne of carbon (equivalent to 4 billion 25kg sacks of charcoal).

The loss of natural forests around the world contributes more to global emissions each year than the transport sector.

World population currently stands at 6.5 billion people.It is projected to grow to 9 billion by 2042.The expansion of agricultural and industrial needs, population growth, poverty, landlessness and consumer demand are the major driving forces behind deforestation.

Most deforestation is due to conversion of forests to agricultural land. Global removals of wood for timber and fuel amounted to 3.1 billion cubic metres in 2005.

Worldwide, deforestation continues at an alarming rate, about 13 million hectares per year,an area the size of Greece or Nicaragua.

Africa and South America have the largest net loss of forests. In Africa it is estimated that nearly half of the forest loss was due to removal of wood fuel.

Forests in Europe are expanding. Asia, which had a net loss in the 1990s, reported a net gain of forests in the past five years, primarily due to large-scale forestation in China.

Eighty per cent of the world’s forests are publicly owned, but private ownership is on the rise, especially in North and Central America and in Oceania.

About 11 per cent of the world’s forests are designated for the conservation of biological diversity. These areas are mainly, but not exclusively, in protected areas.

Around 10 million people are employed in conventional forest management and conservation. Formal employment in forestry declined by about 10 per cent from 1990 to 2000.

]]>http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2011/01/05/calendar-of-world-environmental-events-2011-and-un-international-year-of-forests/feed/8Four Years. Go.http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2010/05/14/four-years-go/
http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2010/05/14/four-years-go/#commentsFri, 14 May 2010 02:46:15 +0000http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/?p=2422What if you’re given 4 years to change the direction of the world? What if this deadline stirs humanity into action with a sense of focus and direction and energy never seen before?

Four Years.Go. is an international campaign by The Pachamamma Alliance to bring about a shift in consciousness. Here is their campaign message:

Imagine turning things around in 4 years!

FOUR YEARS. GO. is a rallying call asking us all to…

- Wake Up to the enormous harm we are doing to Earth and ourselves

- Wake Up to the profound opportunity we have now to create a future to match our deepest longing and greatest dreams

- Become change agents in redirecting humanity’s current path from self-destruction to sustainability

- Do it now. Don’t wait for anyone or anything. And complete it by 2014.

There’s still time to act, but no time to waste.

Watch the campaign video by Four Years.Go. here:

More about Four Years.Go from the campaign founders

“Four Years. Go. is an initiative spearheaded by a growing worldwide coalition of leading organizations and individuals committed to building a sustainable, just and fulfilling world. It began as a partnership of Wieden + Kennedy, the largest independent advertising agency network in the world (creators of Nike’s “Just do it” advertising campaign and Lance Armstrong’s “Live Strong” yellow bracelet campaign), and The Pachamama Alliance, a nonprofit organization committed to an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on this planet. It quickly became apparent that this work had been percolating and in development by other organizations, which are now part of the core team, namely P:5Y—Peace in Five Years, and the 2020 Fund. Some 450 allied organizations have come on board as supporters of this global movement, and that number grows daily.”

“The new FOUR YEARS. GO. campaign was launched in March 2010, and in its first month has reached more than 50,000 people. Recognizing that the next few years provide us the monumental challenge and opportunity of impacting the trajectory of life on this planet for the next 1,000 years, FOUR YEARS. GO. is a common rallying call for collaborative action across the globe. The campaign is fostering a coalition amongst individuals, NGOs, companies, and communities to ignite a movement whose goal is catalyzing a shift in humanity to a sustainable, just and fulfilling path by 2014.”

]]>http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2010/05/14/four-years-go/feed/2INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION: 24th October 2009http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2009/11/03/international-day-of-climate-action-24th-october-2009/
http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/2009/11/03/international-day-of-climate-action-24th-october-2009/#commentsTue, 03 Nov 2009 13:37:22 +0000http://www.ecowalkthetalk.com/blog/?p=973“You’re a part of this planet. Feel good about the rippling message now going out around the earth: if we shout it loud enough, even our leaders will hear.” BILL MCKIBBEN

The International Day of Climate Action on 24th October 2009, was a truly historic event with over 5,200 events organised in 181 countries (on final count). Such widespread political action is quite unprecedented in the planet’s history, according to Bill McKibben the founder of 350.org

Thanks to the efforts of local environmental groups, such as ECO Singapore, Vegetarian Society Singapore and ACRES, about 300-400 people turned up on Saturday morning at 8 am, all buzzing with the excitement of making the number 350 as a strong call to world leaders, when they meet in Copenhagen COP15 this December. Watch the action here :

Here are the aerial shots of the event that were captured by Clarence Tan of VSS as well as other pictures on the ground, thanks to Neil Madhvani of VSS. The event was followed by a Walkathon to Singapore Management University, with lots of activities organised by the three environment groups mentioned before.

It was really exciting to be part of this historic day. At least 20 or 30 years from now, when our children or perhaps our grandchildren question us as to what we did to create a livable planet for them, we can proudly look back to this day, and say, “Yes, we were there, and we did everything we possibly could to send the message of change to the world.”